GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia PHOTO: Kathy Methier Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 1152, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update PREFACE The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) developed this document entitled “Georgia Surface Water and Groundwater Quality Monitoring and Assessment Strategy”. As a part of the State’s Water Quality Management Program, this report focuses on the GAEPD’s water quality monitoring efforts to address key elements identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) monitoring strategy guidance entitled “Elements of a State Monitoring and Assessment Program, March 2003”. This report updates the State’s water quality monitoring strategy as required by the USEPA’s regulations addressing water management plans of the Clean Water Act, Section 106(e)(1). Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 1152, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... 3 1. MONITORING PROGRAM STRATEGY OVERVIEW .................................... 5 Assessment of Water Quality ............................................................................... 7 History of Georgia’s Water Quality Monitoring Programs ................................ 7 Data Management, Assessment and Reporting ................................................... 8 Future Issues and Challenges .............................................................................. 9 Strategy Implementation Challenges ................................................................. 10 2. MONITORING OBJECTIVES ............................................................................. 11 3. MONITORING DESIGN ....................................................................................... 13 State-wide Trend Monitoring.. ........................................................................... 13 Assessment/TMDL Monitoring.. ........................................................................ 13 Intensive Surveys Monitoring. ........................................................................... 14 Lake/Reservoir Monitoring ................................................................................ 14 Biological Monitoring ........................................................................................ 15 Fish Tissue Monitoring . .................................................................................... 15 Toxic Substance Monitoring .............................................................................. 16 Aquatic Toxicity Monitoring . ............................................................................ 17 Facility Compliance Monitoring ....................................................................... 17 Coastal Monitoring.. .......................................................................................... 17 Coastal Beach Monitoring ................................................................................ 18 Shellfish Monitoring .......................................................................................... 18 Estuary Nutrient Monitoring.............................................................................. 19 DNR State Park Beach Monitoring.................................................................... 19 Groundwater Well Monitoring. ......................................................................... 19 4. CORE AND SUPPLEMENTAL WATER QUALITY INDICATORS ............. 20 5. QUALITY ASSURANCE ...................................................................................... 21 Laboratory ......................................................................................................... 21 Quality Assurance .............................................................................................. 21 6. DATA MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................ 22 GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER Q UALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update 1 7. DATA ANALYSIS/ASSESSMENT ...................................................................... 23 Water Use Classifications and Water Quality Standards .................................. 23 8. REPORTING .......................................................................................................... 25 9. PROGRAMMATIC EVALUATION.................................................................... 26 10. GENERAL SUPPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING ................... 27 Resources ........................................................................................................... 27 Future Studies and Actions ................................................................................ 28 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1. GEORGIA WATER RESOURCES ATLAS……………………………………5 TABLE 2. WATER QUALITY INDICATORS.....………..……………………………….22 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: SURFACE WATER QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS AND GROUNDWATER WELLS 1. Statewide Trend Monitoring Network (Core) –Rivers/Streams, Lakes/Reservoirs. 2. Calendar Year 2015 Monitoring Stations – Rivers/Streams, Lakes/Reservoirs. 3. Mercury in Fish Trend Monitoring Stations. 4. Coastal Beach Monitoring Stations. 5. DNR State Parks Lake Beach Monitoring Stations. 6. Calendar Year 2015 Groundwater Monitoring Wells APPENDIX B: WATER USE CLASSIFICATIONS AND WATER QUALITY STANDARDS GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER Q UALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update 2 INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Georgia Surface Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Strategy (Strategy) is to outline the State’s ambient water quality monitoring program, which addresses the 10 Elements recommended by the USEPA for a State Water Monitoring and Assessment Program. Currently, the Georgia water quality monitoring and assessment program includes a number of different aspects including: baseline or trend monitoring; planning monitoring or intensive surveys; effectiveness monitoring; probabilistic stream monitoring; lake monitoring; coastal monitoring; estuary monitoring; coastal and freshwater beach monitoring; toxic substance monitoring; fish tissue monitoring; periphyton, macroinvertebrate and fish community assessment; habitat assessment; and facilities monitoring. These monitoring tools provide Georgia with a comprehensive, long-term monitoring program that serves the water quality management needs and addresses all water body types designated as State waters, including rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, wetlands, groundwater, and coastal areas. Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Strategy Vision, Mission Statement and Goals Vision: To gather information essential to develop indicators and standards to protect human health and the environment in Georgia. Mission Statement: To implement a monitoring program strategy that includes assessment of water quality conditions within Georgia, leads to the development of corrective actions to restore impacts identified through monitoring initiatives taken, and effectively communicate this information to both internal and external customers. Goals: . Measure the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of waters in all river basins within Georgia and identify causes responsible for water quality impairments. Assess the impact from human and other activities within the watersheds and the effects these activities are having on the overall ecosystem. Identify and recommend corrective action measures to restore waters to meet designated uses. Report water quality assessments in support of the management program to customers and stakeholders. GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER Q UALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update 3 Challenges in fully implementing the Strategy include obtaining sufficient personnel to accomplish the monitoring and assessment goals of the program; refining our database system as needed in order to enhance its storage, retrieval, and analysis capabilities; and coordinating and managing internal and external information and data gathering and assessment. Key environmental issues and challenges facing the State currently and in future years include: (1) controlling toxic substances in water; (2) ensuring a sustainable and safe supply of potable water; (3) managing nutrient discharges; (4) reducing nonpoint source pollution; and, (5) increasing public involvement in water quality improvement projects. GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER Q UALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update 4 1. MONITORING PROGRAM STRATEGY OVERVIEW Surface water and groundwater resources are extremely important to the life, health, and economy of Georgia. According to USEPA estimates based on the U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000 Digital Line Graph, the State has 44,056 miles of perennial streams, 23,906 miles of intermittent streams, and 603 miles of ditches and canals for a total of 70,150